


Absente Reo

by serafina20



Series: Inevitable [13]
Category: Prison Break
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-01-30
Updated: 2011-01-30
Packaged: 2017-10-15 06:16:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 748
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/157865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/serafina20/pseuds/serafina20
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Michael and Alexander's first fight.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Absente Reo

Alexander Mahone and Michael Scofield's first fight happens before they met. At least formally. The elevator wasn't the place for proper introductions, after all. The words exchanged there meaningless. For all intents and purposes, they were strangers.

That doesn't stop them from fighting, of course. Couples--truly in love or not--will always find a way to butt heads.

It happens like this:

Nearly forty-eight hours after the preliminary escape, the news that Theodore Bagwell has made his first kill surfaces at FBI headquarters. The reports and pictures are sent to both Alexander's hands and the offices of every major news agency in the country.

Six AM, three days after the escape, Michael and Lincoln pull into a fast food restaurant. While ordering, Michael leans over and grabs a paper. Front page headline screams "Fox River Escapee Suspected in Murder." The story was graphic. Speculative. Certain in its conviction that Theodore "T-Bag" Bagwell was alive and well and off on a spree.

Alexander never leaves headquarters the night the news arrived. He stays all night, working, combing through evidence, through Bagwell's file, trying to figure out where he was headed. Where any of them were going. By dawn, he's even more short tempered than normal, hungry and headachy to boot. About six-fifteen, he grabs a cup of coffee and a croissant, and locks himself alone in his office.

Michael speeds out of town. Out past houses and buildings until all there is are a few trees and endless fields. As soon as he feels safe, he pulls over. Leaps out of the car. Paces, his fists clenched, heart in his throat, pressure behind his eyes. Runs to a tree where he stops.

"Why did you do it?" Alexander demands. "Why Bagwell, of all people? Why the murdering pedophile?"

Michael bumps his head against the tree. "I had no choice," he moans. "I had to. He knew too much, was too dangerous. He... I had to."

"Abruzzi I can understand. He had connections. Fernando Sucre was your cellmate; of course he had to go. Westmorland, Franklin? A career con and a man arrested for possession of stolen goods, fine. The kid? Even the psycho, I get, he was locked up with you for a spell. But Bagwell?"

"He was going to tell," Michael whispers. His fingers dig into the bark, clawing at it. Leaving scratches behind. "If I hadn't let him in..."

"There had to have been a way. Another way. What did he have on you?"

Michael sniffs. Swipes his nose viciously. "I should have found another way. I should have... left him inside. Locked him somewhere. Left him with Bellick, he didn't know we were going after. I..."

"God dammit," Alexander swears. He punches the wall. "Dammit, Bagwell's killed again, and that's on your fucking head, Michael. Because of *you* an innocent man is dead, and I..." He punches the wall again.

"Michael, what's wrong?" Lincoln asks.

He hits his forehead against the tree again. "My fault."

"What's your fault?"

"You're brilliant, Michael Scofield. Surely you could have come up with some way..."

"I should have come up with a way."

"*What* are you talking about?" Lincoln kneels behind Michael. Puts his hands on his shoulders.

All the air in Alexander's body leaves him in a rush. Exhausted, he leans against the wall, head banging against it with a hard thump. "Not that I should be too hard on you. I know the choices one makes under pressure can be... unwise."

"T-Bag. He's alive. He killed someone." Michael's hands tighten against the tree. "I should have done better. Found a way to leave him behind."

Lincoln leans against Michael. Rests his head against Michael's. "That's not your fault. You know how it was back there. We didn't have a choice."

"There's always a choice," Alexander whispers. "And the ones that make our lives easier are often the worst."

"There was a choice. I just didn't try to find it."

"Michael..."

"Of course, you're so beautiful. And I know his reputation. You were probably frightened."

Michael swallows hard. It hurts his chest. "I was scared of him."

Lincoln's arms go around him.

"Abused."

"I didn't want..." It hurt to breathe. "I didn't want to be that guy."

"Raped."

"Like Seth. Like Tweener."

"And fear makes you...."

"I was so scared it made me..."

"Stupid."

Lincoln hugs him tightly. "You are the most brilliant man I have ever known, Michael."

Alexander sighs. "I'd just wanted you to be... perfect."


End file.
